Mercedes-Benz catches up with Logistics News ME to talk about meeting municipal needs and innovating established waste management methods
Rapidly growing cities, an expanding construction industry, and large seaports and airports all generate increasing quantities of refuse that needs to be disposed of using purpose built vehicles.
Today, with a fleet of more than five vehicle types, Mercedes-Benz is working with municipalities and private firms to meet their waste management needs.
Mercedes-Benz trucks for municipal operations are tailor-made for the wide variety of tasks in cities and rural areas. The waste removal process normally involves two stages. In the first, refuse is collected, in the second stage, refuse is either taken to a sorting plant, where reusable items are separated from the residue, or it is taken directly to an incineration plant.
As the inventor of the first truck, 120 years ago, Mercedes-Benz has been pioneering the commercial vehicles industry for more than a century, so truck drivers today can enjoy features like the Mercedes PowerShift automated transmission providing stop/start ability, comfort, high fuel-efficiency and low maintenance.
Currently, Mercedes-Benz offers a wide range of trucks for the waste management segment, from the medium-duty Accelo and Atego models to the heavy-duty Axor, Actros and Econic.
Specifications vary from 8T up to 48T GVW with different engines, transmissions and power take-offs. In terms of applications, Mercedes-Benz chassis are tailored for every kind of superstructure, from refuse compactors and skip loaders to sweepers, to mention only a few.
Downtime in the municipal and waste removal sectors can have adverse consequences, making dependable vehicles all the more important and ensuring any downtime can impact service levels and cause more inconvenience.
Thomas Hövermann, head of planning, marketing and product management, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, says: Besides the Mercedes PowerShift, Mercedes-Benz Trucks are offering plenty of features and services helping to provide maximum Uptime of the truck. First and most important, Mercedes-Benz Trucks are designed and built with an uncompromising commitment to the highest quality standards, providing outstanding reliability over the vehicle lifecycle.
Additionally, our Mercedes-Benz Service Solutions offer tailor-made after-sale packages ranging from scheduled vehicle maintenance to complete maintenance coverage including wear and tear and extended warranty, giving our customers total peace of mind with round the clock support from our wide network of sales and after-sales partners across the MENA region. And with FleetBoard vehicle management telematics, fleet owners and operators can easily manage their fleets with a cost and performance-optimised approach, reducing downtime and boosting profitability of their business, he continues.
In the R&D of vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Trucks closely collaborates with bodybuilders and also key customers in the municipality segment.
For example, the Mercedes-Benz Econic, with a low entry cab and extra-large windows, was particularly developed for municipalities. Other Mercedes-Benz Trucks fulfil specific requirements for municipality applications through a vast choice of different wheelbases, frame overhangs and purpose-built reinforcements. Mercedes-Benz Trucks chassis are also predominantly the preferred choice of the bodybuilders due to its flexibility to work on and ease of fitment for any potential superstructure.
Hövermann adds: We take our customers feedback very seriously, trying to provide the optimal product and service solution for our clients needs, which are unique and extremely demanding especially for municipalities.
The full range of Mercedes-Benz trucks is designed and built with what Hövermann terms an uncompromising commitment to excellence.
Efficiency is the motivating force behind our range, designed to drive down not only fuel consumption, but every aspect of the cost of ownership and operation, he adds. Mercedes-Benz trucks offers a solution for every task in the municipal and waste management industry, supported by an after sales network of over 40 dealer locations and a comprehensive roadside assistance network.
The range also provides reductions in fuel consumption. Comparing the market, Hövermann continues: Trucks with the star are renowned for their advanced engine-/drivetrain technologies and high fuel efficiency. Here, for example, we can benefit from the fact that Mercedes-Benz is developing and manufacturing all major components of its drivetrain, like engines, gearboxes and axles in-house, which ensures perfect alignment between all components; a crucial aspect to realise fuel savings.
Additionally, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is continuously running extensive driveline and fuel efficiency tests worldwide to optimise its performance in every operational condition and environment, whether it be in Europe or even in one of the harshest of environments here in the Middle East.